A FUnnie look at the loony residents of the Democratic Underground aka DUmmies in particular and the Leftwing Blogosphere in general.

Thursday, December 02, 2004

DUmmie FUnnies 12-02-04 (CIVIL WAR: Keith Olbermann vs Bev Harris)

DUmmie Civil War has broken out again! Like the previous Dummie Civil War covered in the DUmmie FUnnies this one also involves Bev Harris of BBV scam fame. This time, however, the DUmmie antagonists are gathered around general Bev Harris vs general Keith Olbermann who unexpectedly attacked her last night on his MSNBC show. You can view the internecine warfare on this DUmmie THREAD titled “Olberman/Harris.” As usual the DUmmie battlefield attacks are in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble war correspondent is in the [brackets]. And now let us join the opening shot of this war as DUmmie Amerdem lobs an artillery shell about Olberman vs Harris onto the battlefield:

I'm not sure at this point what is going on but something stinks to high hell on one side or the other. Olberman starts this by going out his way to slam Harris last night on Countdown. After he is crushed with endless emails he devotes his blog to rationalizing his decision. Bev follows up in her reply basically calling everything Olberman said a lie. We didn't expect any of this from either one but after hearing both sides so far I have to ask, why would Olberman go so far out his way and actually choose words that follow what the corporate news media having been saying to discredit the e-voting scandal and voter fraud? Why did he all at once single out Bev to pounce on? I'm not liking this at all.

Olberman...."I have not dealt with Ms. Harris directly, but my staff has, and though we have asked her on a regular basis to let us show these tapes on national television, she has declined."

Harris..."Contrary to Olberman's assertions, neither he nor his staff have EVER asked Harris to show anyone the Volusia County tapes. They have not asked Harris to come on the show since November 8. Harris did not come to Florida until November 12."

Easily solved. She could produce the tapes. End of controversy. It sounds like a misunderstanding. I believe that the the MSNBC staff would have asked for the tapes more than once. Why wouldn't they? It is the normal course of events to ask for those kinds of things. Maybe Harris' helpers didn't tell her they'd asked. In any case, all she has to do is produce copies of the tapes. That would have been more effective than a statement saying MSNBC had not asked for the tapes. I would have BOTH made that statement AND produced the tapes, unless there's some reason not to produce them, in which case I'd explain that thoroughly to the public. I see nothing wrong with what Olbermann said, if what he said is true. And I believe it is.

[It looks like DUmmie TexasSissy has signed on with the Kool-Aid guzzling “journalist,” Keith Olbermann. But now an enormous volley coming in from none other than Bev Harris, the con artist supreme, herself….]

Response:

“I believe that the the MSNBC staff would have asked for the tapes more than once. Why wouldn't they? It is the normal course of events to ask for those kinds of things.”

They did not ask me nor any member of my staff. I just spoke with one of Olbermann's producers, Katy Carp, who said "we've tried to get in touch with you."

Any of you who tried to get in touch with me shortly after the election know that the voicemail was full. We did not receive any voicemails and never spoke with MSNBC.

“Maybe Harris' helpers didn't tell her they'd asked.”

Our "helpers" are me, Andy Stephenson, and Kathleen Wynne. None of us were called by MSNBC about Volusia.

“In any case, all she has to do is produce copies of the tapes.”

OK. Please go ask Greg Palast to produce all his investigative material during the middle of his investigations. See what HE says.

Also, please ask litigators to produce the evidence they are presenting at trial so you can put it on the Internet. They will tell you to go jump in the lake.

“That would have been more effective than a statement saying MSNBC had not asked for the tapes.”

The truth is, MSNBC never asked for the tapes.

“I see nothing wrong with what Olbermann said, if what he said is true. And I believe it is.”

What he said is not true. Provably so.

Thanks for playing, and we are delighted to know we are getting close to something sensitive. (harassment calls and bogus news stuff suddenly ramped up during the last 24 hours).

Bev Harris

Executive Director

Black Box Voting Inc.

[Come on, Bev! Produce those tapes! Hey, the DUmmies need something for you to show after all that dough they blew on your “non-profit” organization.]

Those with clear heads are behind you, Bev. Please please please please PLEASE keep up the good work.

When I first watch Olberman last night bring this all out I was taken back and kinda smelled a rat. It just didn't add up. Here we had Olberman as one of the few getting this story out then he puts out basically a hit piece on you, one of the best and few people who have been there to fight this from the beginning.

[Maybe Olbermann started choking from drinking all that Kool-Aid served up by the BBV scam.]

Why would Olbermann lie? What's his motivation? That's what I can't figure out.

[It could be that Olbermann woke up from his coma and his brain started functioning again at 10% capacity.]

Why would Olberman use wording that every other corporate media talking head has used to discredit the e-voting scandal? Why would Olberman all at once choose to go after Bev as hard as he did last night? Did you watch Countdown last night? I did and I was taken back at how he went after her. It seemed so out of the expected.

A quick answer that immediately comes to my mind when you ask why he would lie...How about keeping his job or just perhaps someone talked with him and let it be known things can happen. Yes, it is a guess but after watching what has become of the our supposed unbiased news over the last few years I think it's anything is possible.

[Perhaps Olbermann was deprogrammed by Karl Rove and then reprogrammed with a vast right-wing agenda.]

He has always shown integrity and I'm very grateful we have someone like Olberman on our side but to compare corporate media today to what it was back in the Clinton era is like trying to compare an apple to an orange. Through out the year we here have talked openly about what is probably going on behind the scenes of these corporate news outlets. Anything is possible, anything. I suggest you read thru this thread for Bev's replies and ask yourself why anyone in her position ( she doesn't get paid for doing what she has done, she states here there is NO documentary in the works etc.) would have a reason to lie. It seems to me she would have loved the opportunity to get this message out whenever she could. Also, Olberman himself admits to canceling her. Why would he cancel someone so involved in the e-voting scandal as Bev?

[Why would Bev Harris lie unless maybe she was pulling off a scam? Naw! It just can’t be! Not OUR beloved Bev.]

Bev - it is extremely important to patch things up immediately. Our cause and yours is not served by misunderstandings that could be easily resolved. All it does is create a fester for people of ill-will to exploit. Time is running out quickly. Please reassure the people here that support both you and Keith.

[Such a reassurance will be forthcoming…but only with a donation.]

Thanks for posting Bev! Daaaaamn. I missed Olbermann last night and got on DU this morning and SHIT HAD HIT THE FAN! I believe in you, Andy and Kathleen!

[HALLELUJA! I BEEEEEELEEEEEEEVE IN BEV! I beeeeeleeeeve in her so much that I will empty out my wallet and send in all my dinero to her!]

I'm trying to figure it out. One of them is obviously lying unless there is a huge miscommunication between them. So... who has reason to lie? Let's look at both sides.

Harris--it has been insinuated that perhaps she cares about her documentary/money more than the cause. If she had something on tape and released it to Olbermann, it would not be exclusive to her documentary. However, after Olbermann called her out on this by saying, "What Ms. Harris has left herself open to is a charge that as much as any interest she has in the justifiable public concern over our most precious right - the right to a reliable, honest election - she may also have an interest in making her own documentary, on her own schedule, for her own purposes." If she was invited on and refused and ask for the tape and refused, this hurts her reputation. So, she could be lying to save her reputation.

Olbermann--I'm still trying to figure out why he would lie and say he invited Harris when he didn't and say he asked for the tape when he didn't. No idea here.

[Choices, choices. Who to believe? A scheming con artist or a Kool-Aid swallowing, semi-comatose “journalist?” But let us allow Bev Harris to make her case again….]

“One of them is obviously lying unless there is a huge miscommunication between them.”

“Harris--it has been insinuated that perhaps she cares about her documentary/money more than the cause.”

We are not making a documentary.

“If she had something on tape and released it to Olbermann, it would not be exclusive to her documentary.”

We are not making a documentary.

“However, after Olbermann called her out on this by saying, ‘What Ms. Harris has left herself open to is a charge that as much as any interest she has in the justifiable public concern over our most precious right - the right to a reliable, honest election - she may also have an interest in making her own documentary, on her own schedule, for her own purposes.’”

We are not making a documentary.

“If she was invited on and refused and ask for the tape and refused, this hurts her reputation. So, she could be lying to save her reputation.”

We were not invited on (except before we came to Florida, and both times Olbermann canceled).

“Olbermann--I'm still trying to figure out why he would lie and say he invited Harris when he didn't and say he asked for the tape when he didn't.”

I think a producer will get canned, and that perhaps this producer, who perhaps called and got "voicemail full" embellished her own work to make it sound like she'd done more than she had.

That's my guess. I do think it very odd that he went out on a limb over this, without checking his facts, and also, we have been fairly accessible by phone this week.

In fact, if we weren't accessible, how did we talk with NBC producers from both Palm Beach and Orlando three times yesterday? By the way, though I can't get to respond to all my messages, I do write them all down. It is easy to document that they never called or left messages, either for me, or for Andy or Kathleen.

[You better Not be making a documentary. You better Not be making a documentary. You better Not be making a documentary. Because if you are making a documentary, Bev, your ass will be tossed in jail so fast you will knock over Martha Stewart on the way in.]

Just because Olberman is the only mediawhore offering coverage does not make him any less of a whore. How much integrity could Olberman POSSIBLY HAVE? He works for NBC and has to follow NBC's priorities...

The guy's been on the case about what - three weeks??? As I see it, he has no larger stake in the issue than anyone else, and probably has several other irons in the fire. If he is told by his masters to drop the issue, he will drop it.

If it is in NBC's interest to have Olberman obfuscate the issue by discrediting Bev or BBV, then Olberman will obfuscate the issue by discrediting Bev or BBV. It's just that simple.

[So, DUmmie Village Idiot, how much money did the Village Idiot blow on the Bev Harris scam?]

Olberman is a whore too.

[SNIFF! How the might have fallen! Yesterday a hero and today a whore.]

I have to say, I find it hard to believe that you are so willing to slam a person like Bev Harris who has been virtually the only person doing everything possible in the way of this scandal. Talk about gratitude! Stick to your admiration of slick talking head types. I'll stand in arms with the almost voiceless brave taking on the big guys.

[I’ve been hearing that the almost voiceless brave has been staying at some mighty plush hotels recently.]

She hasn't exposed a thing! She's made claim after claim with nothing to back it up!

She has yet to expose a single instance of fraud! All she has are allegations and suppositions.

She has a lack of credibility. For months upon months I watched the SOMETHING BIG IS ABOUT TO BREAK IN BBV threads after 2002. Not a thing ever broke. Allegations, suppositions and rhetorical hyperbole is all I've ever seen, not a shred of hard evidence to demonstrate any form of electoral fraud!

[Something IS about to break in BBV! Oh, and send money!]

this whole BBV thing has been a nice little drama, but i am embarassed to even point people towards your efforts because of the drama and lack of evidence that will convince the masses.

[The lack of evidence might not convince the masses but it was enough to convince the asses in DUmmieland to blow their money on the BBV scam. Oh, and send money! And speaking of money, let us hear from our Beloved Bev again….]

Yes. We were receiving 1,000 emails an hour and 800 calls a day. And had only two people, most lately three, to deal with it. Our voicemail was filling up rapidly.

That being said, Olbermann's people don't seem to have made much of an effort. The worst time was the first two weeks after the election. Since then, we've added infrastructure, though still lean, and we now have three different contact numbers on our web site. None of us have had messages from MSNBC and all of us have been checking messages.

One reason I got a media spokesperson (Kathleen) is that I can't investigate stuff and sit on the phone all day doing interviews. I always accept the A-list interviews, and accept all TV that makes sense. Because TV requires you to be in-studio, I can't always do it, but I have not turned down any offer to appear on national TV, and rarely turn down the local shows either, as long as I am in the area.

Now, I actually am going to get back to work. This is the first morning in I don't know how long that I've been able to sit in a hotel room with high speed Internet.

[I thought all the 5 star hotels have high speed internet, Bev. And enjoy those A-list interviews you will be conducting in the future with Court TV.]

Keith Olbermann is the only person in the MSM able to report on the irregularities, but he still answers to his corporate bosses and they aren't on our side, even if KO is. Randi Rhodes says she is even forbidden from reporting anything on voting fraud. Bev Harris doesn't answer to any of these guys, and she is currently under fire by the most manipulative a-holes in our country. We have been pointing fingers and fighting each other for why we lost the election when in reality, we won (probably in a landslide) and Bush stole it. Now, we're all pointing fingers and insulting the very people we depend on so tremendously. Can't we keep it straight and understand who the players are here and support them?

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